Tuesday, March 22, 2016

838. JFK

JFK
1991
Directed by Oliver Stone









We have been on a streak of great movies, but I am afraid that will come to a crashing halt with some of the films coming up (Strictly Ballroom...ugh!).  Oh well, let's enjoy it while it lasts.

Basically, the film follows New Orleans district attorney Jim Garrison as he tries to solve JFK's assassination.  I think we can all agree there are some missing pieces in the "official story," though some of Stone's explanations are equally dubious.  In true Kevin Costner fashion, Garrison becomes obsessed with the mystery, neglecting his family and making some powerful enemies along the way.

This is the kind of the role that Kevin Costner is perfect for; he is never entirely convincing as a romantic lead.  He can have kind of a dull screen presence, and the fact that he could give insanely long speeches in this film and remain interesting is a credit to the script.  I do think the three and a half hour running time was a bit...excessive.  The middle part of this film dragged a little, but I still feel like it was relatively well paced.

Only 13 more years until the official assassination records are open to public.  Then everyone can stop bitching at Stone for putting forth his own thesis.

RATING: ****-

Interesting Facts:

The real Jim Garrison plays Judge Earl Warren.



7 comments:

  1. 13 years to wait? MMmmmm .. I wonder if I will be still around by then? If not, I will be decided disappointed.. But, well, do you really think we will get the full truth?
    I enjoyed this one. I can see all the objections people have to it, but, heck, I found it good entertainment. But then some of us of a certain age .. the whole JFK thing has such a hold on us..
    I've seen one very convincing 'theory' that 'proved' it was an accidental discharge by a body guard, startled by the Oswald shot that dis the fatal damage.

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  2. Based on the evidence currently available, the most likely theory is that Oswald shot Kennedy. But that's not a theory most people want to believe.

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    1. I don't know...the evidence seems pretty circumstantial.

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  3. "By ARRB law (of 1998), all existing assassination-related documents will be made public by October 2017." That is, if the US president doesn't say otherwise. But certainly he is a First Ammendment' defender and a truth-commited politician - wait... oh, crap!

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